Candidate ‘endorsements’ not always clean slate

Election campaign season is always “buyer beware” time — never more so than when slate mailers start showing up in your mailbox.

Designed to look like the official endorsements of a political party, these mailers are actually nothing more than the “endorsements” of the vendors who sent them out on the basis of which candidates paid to be included.

Voters receiving the “Democrat Election Education Guide” might reasonably assume that the endorsed candidates are Democrats. They would be wrong.

Among the endorsed candidates are San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore and Supervisor Ron Roberts. Gore and Roberts have two things in common: they are Republicans and they paid to be in the Democrat Election Education Guide.

And, of course, it’s plain as day that they paid to be on the slate because there’s a tiny asterisk next to their names.

It’s all legal and everything is explained on the mailer, which can be read easily by discerning voters with powerful enough magnifying glasses.

The San Diego County Democratic Party has its own slate mailer that tells voters: “These are the ONLY official endorsements of the Democratic Party.”

John Marelius

Gore wins! (The cash race)

Sheriff Bill Gore has a better than 5-to-1 financial advantage over his two opponents, according to campaign finance reports filed last week.

Gore, the appointed incumbent, received $120,400 in contributions during the two-month reporting period that ended May 22. Sheriff’s Lt. Jim Duffy raised $22,200, while retired undersheriff Jay La Suer received $17,800.

Steve Schmidt

A political coup?

The Deputy Sheriffs’ Association board agreed last week to oust its president — and the timing of the move is raising eyebrows.

The deposed president, Ernie Carrillo, is a strong Duffy supporter, as was the board majority when it endorsed the candidate last August. That was then. Gore backers now dominate the board.

Carrillo is gone, and he’s claiming it’s politics.

Nonsense, said association Vice President Hank Turner. He said the move was the result of a “multitude of factors,” but declined to list them. Besides, Turner said, the association isn’t taking back its endorsement, or its contribution to Duffy.

Steve Schmidt

Bet Whitman could help

Poway City Council recall candidate Steve Vaus last week asked followers of his campaign’s Facebook page to send him stamps.

“I’ll cut to the chase — there’s less than two weeks to go and I’d like to do one more mail blitz of several thousand postcards. But we need rolls of stamps — they cost $28 for a roll of 100. Would appreciate if you’d consider making a donation to cover the cost of one roll. Thanks for your consideration.”

You know, a call to Meg Whitman …

J. Harry Jones

Another fundraising winner

Lloyd Prosser has raised $33,200, more money than the other five other candidates combined in the race to fill former Oceanside Councilman Rocky Chavez’s seat.